Development of the e-Day v.2.0 software system

Background

The e-Day system is a critical digital solution supporting electoral operations on the day of elections in Moldova. Version 1.0 (e-Day v.1.0) provided foundational tools for monitoring voter turnout and facilitating polling station operations. However, evolving legal, operational, and technological requirements necessitated the development of e-Day v.2.0, a modern, extensible, and highly secure upgrade.

Project Objectives

• Retain proven functionalities from e-Day v.1.0
• Introduce electronic signature capture and digital electoral records
• Improve usability, performance, and real-time visibility for CEC administrators
• Ensure full compliance with national electoral laws and cybersecurity standards

Key Features Introduced in e-Day v.2.0

1. Digital Signature Capture

• Enables voters to sign digitally using touchscreen tablets or signature pads
• Signature images securely stored and linked to voter records
• Eliminates delays and errors caused by manual signature collection

2. Electoral Record Management

• Digital capture of election day records (e.g., opening reports, incident logs, turnout reports)
• Automatic generation of PDF documents from templates
• Support for digital archiving and audit trails

3. Extended CEC Administrative Console

• Configure voting section opening/closing hours

• Access real-time dashboards showing:

  • Voter turnout

  • Record submissions by polling stations

  • Anomalies and flagged events

4. Role-Based System Access

• Distinct interfaces for:

  • Polling station operators

  • CEC headquarters staff

  • Observers (read-only access)

5. Offline Resilience and Sync

• Offline mode support with local data caching
• Secure synchronization with the central server when reconnected

Technology Stack

Development Methodology

• Agile with 2-week sprints
• Continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD)
• Extensive user acceptance testing (UAT) with pilot polling stations
• Collaboration with CEC legal and operations departments for compliance

Security and Compliance

• Full data encryption at rest and in transit
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA) for admin access
• Role-based access control (RBAC)
• Compliant with national data protection laws and cybersecurity policies

Outcomes

• Seamless and secure handling of electoral processes on election day
• Reduced administrative burden at polling stations
• Real-time electoral visibility for CEC with minimal latency
• Increased public trust through digital transparency and accountability

Conclusion

The development of e-Day v.2.0 marks a significant step in Moldova’s digital transformation of electoral processes. With advanced digital tools, strong legal compliance, and an improved user experience, the system lays the groundwork for a transparent, efficient, and citizen-focused democratic process.